Necromage
by Priest To The Old Ones
Summary: When he lost everything he embraced a dark magic, so ancient and foul that the world would have gladly done away with it, in the hopes of gaining it all back. Necromancy. But with his powers sealed he must first face a deadly and challenging task, being a teacher at an all girls highschool...wait what? Dark Negi x harem. Possible lemons.
1. Reunions

rewrote the begining of this chapter and changed some things in this chapter and story. mostly small info on negi's past and his first meeting with shizuna. im actually re-working some other things in the rest of the chapters. long story short i felt i was pushing certain things with negi to far mostly the more mature stuff. so im cutting them out.

* * *

The train clacked along the rails in a dull rhythm, jostling his body every few moments. It was his luck that he boarded at an early station and took a seat. This was the second train he found himself on within an hour since he arrived in Japan. The first train ran from a small station on the outskirts of Tokyo city a to connect to a much larger one some miles away. From there he was able to quickly board a train that went straight to his destination. After leaving the station the tracks had moved swiftly away from civilization and cut through a dense forest for the better part of an hour before it reached the first of many sub stations. Almost everyone who boarded at that point where either children our young adults.

For the duration of the trip he drifted in and out of consciousness. Having memorized the schedule by heart he wasn't afraid of sleeping past his stop. He slept sideways in the row of seats, his back pressed against the end wall and his legs pulled to his chest. Cradled against his chest was a large raven, its head tucked carefully under one of its wings. Beside it was a long ermine. The gentle rise and fall of its chest shifting its white fur. He woke for the fifth time when a gently finger poked repeatedly at his shoulder. Opening his eyes slowly to avoid being blinded by the sun he noticed right away that the two animals were no longer with him. Nest his saw that the train compartment was absolutely packed. The person that was poking him, an older teenage girl with short spiky hair gave him a apologetic smile and gestured to his legs. At some point in his sleep he stretched out across the seats, denying at least three people a chance to sit. He sat up straight allowing the girl and two of her friends to fill the seats and chat with each other.

Rubbing the crust from his eyes he gazed around wondering where his companions went. As if sensing his thoughts the raven quickly poked her head out of the flap of his traveling bag, giving him a pleasant _chirp _before ducking back. He squinted searching around. Where was the ermine?

_"Chamo?"_ The word echoed throughout his skull like a clap in a metal hanger. Rising and falling before it faded away.

"_Hehehe_" The laugh echoed in his head followed with a jumble of sensations that turned his face red. A tug brought his gaze to a cluster of school girls giggling and squealing.

"He's so cute!"

"Hitomi don't hog him!"

"I wanna pet him I wanna pet him!"

With a frustrated sigh he rubbed at his face. "_Just once I would like to bring you with me without this shit happening._"

A flutter of wing filled his ear and the raven was on his shoulder. _"Let him have his fun Negi. You were out for a while, we should be arriving soon."_ Her voice was light and kind, a gentle sound that washed over his mind and soothed his being.

Negi lounged back in his seat and waited for the train to arrive at his stop. Chamo joined them some time later, covered in makeup and reeking of perfume.

_"Enjoy yourself?"_

_"Ahh I can die a happy man."_ The ermine spoke in a scratchy male voice.

Finally, after what felt an eternity to Negi the train arrived at his stop. Through the windows he could see a tight but well placed cluster of multistory brick and stone buildings. He chose to stay seated while the other passengers pushed and shoved their ways to and out the doors.

Students of many ages and grades, but mostly female, rushed from the train station, surprisingly eager to begin the final term of the school year. A voice came over the station's speaker system encouraging the students to make it to their classes on time. As they rushed forth, chatting and meeting up with old friends, none seemed to pay much mind to the little boy waiting patiently for them to go.. After a few minutes, when the crowds of students finally dispersed Negi made his way off the train and away from the station. He moved in at a steady pace to take in the sites. He noted with some joy that the buildings that fill the area around the station seemed to be restaurants and convenience stores. The street were a mix of black top and brike with railways for a trolley carved out.

"Well there sure are a lot of girls here." Chamo said. A perverted grin slowly spreading its way across his face.

"Don't even think about it fur ball!" The raven shouted. "Didn't you get your fill on the train?"

A small trail of blood leaked from his nose as he remembered the hour long trip which he spent peeking up skirts. Except when one of the girls spotted him and, instead of stomping on him like he was used to, picked him up and snuggled him into her chest while screaming how cute he was. By the time he came out of his shock a large group of the girls' friends joined her, smothering him in marshmallow heaven. "Hehe, I love this country."

The raven sighed "Why Negi agreed to bring you along I will never understand."

"Because we're brothers and bros look out for each other" He responded, thumping his chest. "Right bro?"

Negi said nothing as he continued to along the road.

Chamo shot the raven a worried look. "Bro, you ok?"

Again he said nothing as he continued down the street almost mechanically.

The raven let out a depressed sigh. "Negi I know you are upset. It wasn't right of them to force you to come or to place the seal on you, but please remember that Chamo and I are here for you every step of the way. We will not let those fools stop you from reaching your goals!" She stated, her voice burning with passion.

"Kalma's right, those morons don't know who they're dealing with. Once you remove that seal we'll go back and teach them a lesson." Chamo exclaimed while punching the air.

"Yeah, we'll show them what happens when they cross Negi Springfeild!"

Negi stopped walking, now standing at the bottom stairs to a grand brick building, the sign above the main gates read "MAHORA ACADEMY".

"If the seal was an issue I would have done away with it mouths ago. No, I'm exactly where I want to be Kalma." His voice was light and clear, matching his age yet it held a level of maturity to it. He spread his arms out before him, bidding the two to look at the school. "Mahora Academy, a hidden sanctuary and home to magical secrets even some of the world's most refined and powerful magicians are ignorant to. Secrets that only those with the proper knowledge and will can uncover." He lowered his arms, a practically giddy smile appearing across his face. "And I've been hired to teach here for who knows how long. All the hidden treasures and knowledge of the magical world are right at my fingertips, and all I have to do is reach out and grab them."

Chamo and Kalma smiled. "Well then what are we waiting for!" Chamo shouted, slapping himself in the face to pump himself up. "We've got a whole class of lovely Japanese school girls just waiting for me, err, I mean us."

Kalma sighed deeply while Negi gave a quick chuckle. "Come on, I believe they're waiting for us."

XxX

**Earlier that morning**

Sitting at a large desk in his office, Konoemon felt a small shiver travel up his spine as he gazed at the resent report he held in his hands.

"Are you alright Konoe-sama?"

Konoemon looked up from his papers to the man sitting on the other side of his desk. He was a tall man with grayed hair and slight wrinkles. He wore a brownish green suit with a purple tie and a small pair of bottom framed glasses. "No Takamichi, it's just…"

Takamichi raised an eyebrow. _'He sounds nervous, he's _never _nervous.'_ He thought, a small sense of dread clawing at the back of his mind. "What's wrong?"

Konoemon let out a shaky sigh. "This is the graduation report from the academy in Whales." He looked Taka in the eyes. "Negi Springfield graduated."

Takamichi smiled. "Already? That's great!" He exclaimed. "I was originally hoping to attend the ceremony and congratulate him; I haven't had the chance to talk to him since he enrolled."

Konoemon nodded, a wistful smile making its way to his lips. "Yes, he graduated at the top of all of his classes including his electives. The Head Master wrote that all the teachers reported him being an absolute joy to have in class. That his mind was basically a sponge, soaking in all his lessons." Despite his happiness for the boys' achievements his voice still had a sad tone to it.

Takamichi understood, their last encounter with Negi didn't end on a happy note to put it lightly. Still he felt proud that the son of his friend was doing well, and hoped that maybe the boy was finally starting to heal. "Did the report say what his diploma's test was?"

"Yes, he's been assigned as a teacher…here."

Taka's smile fell at that, now realizing the reason for Konoemons' mood. The academy housed many dangerous magical secrets, secrets that Negi would no doubt find and take full advantage of. "So he's the one that's replacing me this year." He stated more than asked.

"Yes. I actually found this out immediately after the graduation. I was hoping to have him assigned to a different school but you and I both know that once a test has been assigned it cannot be changed. But lately the more I think about it, the more I feel that this could turn out to be a good thing."

Taka gave a look of surprise. "How could this be a good thing? I trust him enough not to harm any of the normal students or staff but we both know that he'll take any chance to gain power and uncover the knowledge that the academy houses, and with your granddaughter attending…"

"I think you give him and this school too little credit." The dean cut him off. Taka looked at him, uncertain. "It is true that Negi is strong, stronger than anyone his age should be. But you must not forget that this school has been the Headquarters for the Kanto magic association since its founding. The seals and wards on these grounds are some of the strongest in the entire world, and as for the students." He paused then stood and walked over to a large window that overlooked the campus. "Tell me Taka would you say an outsider would feel unwelcome here?"

Taka shook his head. "No just the opposite in fact. When I first started here I'll admit that I was a bit uncertain. I knew the staff would take to me just fine but I was unsure if the students would follow. I did have the occasional issue with some of the older groups but the younger generations opened up to me rather nicely."

"Did you find it at all difficult to open up to your students or fellow staff member, did you feel that you were kept at an emotional distance?"

"At first yes but once I took some time to get to know the others I found it quite easy, liberating in fact and I was surprised at how eager they all were to confide in me." Taka answered, wondering where this was going.

Konoemon turned back to him. "I trust that you've been reading up on the Headmasters report on Negi?"

Takahata nodded. From all the reports he read and the few times he checked in on the boy he knew that even though he was starting to come to terms with what happened, he was still far from letting go. _'Or forgiving us'_ he thought sadly, bringing a hand up to rub his head. In the five years since he started the Academy Negi hadn't made one true friend. Oh sure he had some connections, people he would hang around with a few times. But from what he heard those relationships were of a more 'physical' nature then an actual friendship. He never allowed anyone to get to close to him and almost any attempt from a student or teacher to break the boys emotional shell was met with either cold rejection or flat out hostility.

"He said that Negi was still having trouble opening up to others."

Konoe nodded. "I had a rather long talk with the Headmaster shortly after Negi got his diploma and we both agree that while he still holds a lot of resentment towards the two of us and the world in general he does NOT take is aggression out on others and we felt that if he was placed in the right environment we just might be able to crack his shell."

Taka saw a small, hopeful smile appear on the Deans face. "Do you really think that this will work?"

Konoemon nodded as he sat back down. "I do. It won't be easy and there will most likely be many trials but this place will be good for him Takamichi, I can feel it. He will most likely never lose his hate but if he can surround himself with friends then there just might be hope for him."

"It sounds like you already have a plan."

"As mature as Negi may be at times at his core he is still a child and a gentle hand is always the best approach when dealing with children and trauma."

"You have someone in mind?"

He nodded with a satisfied smile. "She already knows most of what she needs to. I want her to meet Negi before I tell her the rest."

They continued talking about Negi's place in the School for a couple more hours until a knock at the door brought them out of their discussion. "Come in."

The door opened to reveal the subject of their conversation, Negi, standing in the doorway. He was dressed in a black hoodie that looked two sizes to big that only left his mouth visible. It had thick, deep purple outlines and large pockets on the front and sleeves. Purple, red and black camo designed cargo pants covered his legs along with a pair of black boots. On his back was a large tan camping bag with a long staff in wrappings strapped to the side. Perched on his left shoulder was a large raven while on his right was a small white ermine with a black tipped tail.

The two adults stiffened slightly as they felt his shrouded eyes looking them over. Not bothering to hide the air of hostility that he carried with him.

Konoemon was the first to speak, putting on a jolly smile and waving a small fan he pulled from nowhere. "Hohoho it is good to see you again Negi. Please come in, come in, how was your trip to Japan."

_"Holy fuck!"_ Kalma said to Negi through the mental link she shared with him and Chamo_. "It's Mr. Peanut!"_ Negi bit down on the inside of his mouth to prevent a laugh while he felt Chamo burry his face into his neck.

Stepping into the room Negi kicked the door closed behind him before walking to the desk. "It was alright" He spoke in a neutral tone. "The flight was long but I slept through most of it, though the train rides were nice especially the ones that cut through the forests. That last one however was a little cramped. When I heard that most of the population at this city was female I thought the Headmaster was just fucking with me." His voice became slightly amused at the end.

_"No seriously what the fuck is wrong with his head?"_

The two older men relaxed a bit as the tension in the room died down. "That's good to hear, I was worried that the long trip might tire you out. So tell me, how much do you know about your assignment."

_"Hello, I know I'm not talking to myself here."_

"Just that I'm to replace Takamichi as an English and homeroom teacher, other than that not much."

_"So we're all just going to ignore the fact that you're going to be taking orders from a man who looks like a baby from Hiroshima?"_

_"Whoa!"_ Chamo yelled.

_"Oh my god Kalma"_ Negi laughed.

_"What?"_

_"That was uncalled for."_ Chamo tried to scold her but his own laughter betrayed him.

_"Oh like you actually care."_

Konoe nodded "Other than helping to protect the school and students from any magical threats that's basically it, though I will have to ask you to keep your magic a secret. This city may hold a good amount of magic in it but the populace at large is still ignorant to the fact."

Negi stared at the man for a moment before responding. "Fine, but as you are well aware of I am expected to find a partner or partners while I am training, and I _will_ be looking." He stated, his voice becoming stern showing he had no intention of changing his mind or backing down.

Konoe and Taka Paled slightly not because he would be looking for a partner, they already expected that, but because of what he could teach them. They both shuddered at the thought of someone else learning-.

"I don't plan on teaching anyone _that_." He cut in as if reading their minds. "It's for me to know and me alone."

Konoe let out a relieved sigh and nodded. "Very well then but please try and be discrete while you're looking." He reaches across his desk and pressed a small button. "Shizuna could you please come here for a moment." A few moments later the office door opened. Negi turned around to see who had entered just in time to have his face enveloped by what was without a doubt the largest rack he had ever come into contact with. Feeling a hand gently rub the top of his head he pulled back to gaze up at the woman's face.

_"Sweet mother of magic."_ He thought.

_"What the fuck does she eat to get them that big?"_ Kalma.

_"Hot damn those puppies are huge!"_ Chamo.

_"Keep it under your fur fuzz ball."_

The person before him was a tall, light skinned woman that could not have been past her twenties. She had long elegant blue hair that cascaded past her shoulder and wore a light blue long sleeved turtle-neck that hugged her figure with a matching dress skirt. Her pale violet eyes sparkled through her bottom framed oval glasses like jewels and a set of yellow teardrop earrings dangled from the sides of her head. "Ah, sorry about that." Her voice was light and sweet.

"Negi this lovely lady is Shizuna Minamoto, she's one of Mahora's guidance councilors and Nurses. I've asked that she serve as your adviser while you're here so if you have any questions or concerns please don't hesitate to ask her."

Shizuna felt her heart stop for a moment as she looked down at the boy. Now that his head was turned up she could clearly see his large eyes. Eyes that were a unique shade of jeweled pink. _'So this is Negi Springfeild?'_ She had spent most of the previous day discussing this very boy with the Dean. Though she did not get the full story, with a promise that more would be explained to her later, she was told enough to know that the child had a history and scars on his mind to go with it.

A hand reached up to take her free one as a charming grin made its way to his face. Negi stepped back and brought her hand up to his lips, brushing them gently over her knuckles. When he spoke his voice was gentle and smooth as silk. "It's a pleasure to meet you Miss Minamoto."

Shizuna gave him the warmest smile she could. "Likewise, I look forward to working with you Negi-sensei."

He turned her hand over and kissed her palm. "Oh I do believe you will."

A cough from behind reminded them that they weren't alone. Negi noted with some satisfaction that it was Konoeamon that coughed and both he and Takamichi were sporting awkward blushes. "Yes well Trust that the two of you will get along quite well _professionally_. Now Shizuna-chan can you please show Negi to his class?" With a nod an embarrassed Shizuna turned to leave, eager to be away from her two coworkers. "Oh! Before I forget I have something for you Negi." Takamichi stood and brought something out of his bag before handing it to Negi. "It's a roster I made for the class, I thought it might help you remember the students names and seating arrangements better." Negi accepted it after a moment of thought and tucked it under his arm before he turned to follow Shizuna out. The Deans voice gave him pause.

"Good luck Negi-kun."

He turned his head back slowly to regard the man and the temperature seemed to drop several degrees. "I would suggest that you not speak to me in such a familiar way _Konoeamon_." With that he turned away and walked out of the office, slamming the door behind him.

"Well it was worth a shot."

"Do you think this is the right thing to do Konoeeamon?" Takahata asked.

Konoe slouched back in his chair. "I hope so Takamichi, I hope so."

XxXxXxX

Shizuna guided Negi through the Academy halls while he quickly read through his roster. "Um Negi-sensei, if you don't mind me asking, I couldn't help noticing your..hostility towards Takahata and the Dean."

Negi closed his roster. "Sorry about that. There's just some...bad blood between us."

Shizuna nodded, deciding not to press the issue for which Negi was thankful. Before long she stopped beside a classroom door. "And here we are, class 2-A."

Stuffing the roster into his backpack Negi walked over to the large classroom window. "Well, here we go."


	2. A Q and A with the class

**READ** ME

I am so, so sorry that this took as long as it did. i work in a privately owned grocery store and its the busiest time of the year for us. Not to mention that they keep changing my hours around and i fucking hate the place. so im just drained by the time i get home.

I've been having a hard time focusing on my writing but i figured something out. i have never been able to focus on just one thing at a time so now im writing three fics. this, a harry potter fic and a naruto fic. believe it or not its actually helping me focus.

also for this chapter in needed a way for negi to graduate from his school with all of his degrees while keeping him around the same age as the manga. i have never attended any form of collage so what i did was i looked up some stuff online and then proceeded to pull an explanation out of my $$. so sorry if you're reading that part and just thinking..._what?_

well its 12:00 am so i should probably upload this and go pass out but one final thing.

REVIEW THE DAMN STORY. PLEASE! i need you guys to give me reviews so i know that you care and like it. otherwise i feel like no one gives a shit.

enjoy.

disclaimer: i do not own Negima.

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Negi leaned against the edge of the window looking in at the classroom he was assigned to teach. 31 girls filled its space, chatting and laughing with one another. Some were leaning over desks and chairs sharing stories and jokes, others were huddled together looking over papers and random objects. One girl with her hair tied up in buns and covered in some strange bag accessory he had never seen before was even selling food. He took in the sight of them, studying them. The ones that were the most open and walked around to great others, the ones that tried to seclude themselves from the rest as much as possible, the ones that seemed content to just sit and interact only if someone else engaged them in a conversation. How they moved. A few were slouched over their desks their poster weak and timid while other carried themselves with confidence, sitting up straight and alert or walking about in long strides.

Something caught his eyes however. Over by one of the first windows on the other side of the room he could see a small haze, a slight shimmer in the air. '_What...'_

"They can be quite a handful." Shizuna's voice brought him out of his observation. "Though Ayaka-san, the class president, can usually keep them in line they do get a little rowdy, especially the Narutaki twins." She gave him a gentle smile. "Is there anything you would like to know before we go in?" He shook his head. "Do you have any planned programs for the class yet?"

Again he shook his head. "Not really. I do have something in mind but I haven't really ironed out the details so I'm just going to wing it for now."

Shizuna seemed a bit hesitant but eventually nodded, he was assigned as a teacher for a reason. "Shall we?" She gestured to the door.

Negi shrugged and walked back to the classroom door. Shizuna knocked several times and waited while the sound off hushed voices and scrapping chairs filled the hallway before dyeing down. Opening the door, he took a step in when he felt his senses slam a jumble of information into the front of his mind. 'Seriously?' He thought with a small snort. Snapping his left arm up his fingers wrapped around an overly used eraser that was about to land on his head and ,with a flick of his wrist, tossed it to its proper resting place on the chalkboard. He took another step and swung his foot forward, ripping a small tripwire from where it was set into the doorframe. Another step and he swung his right hand over his head, hooking it around a pail full of water before flinging it behind him past a wide eyed Shizuna and into the hallway. Walking over to his desk, which he was pleased to note was quite large and made of solid wood, he twisted his upper body back slightly and waved his arm around in a blur, easily catching several suction cup arrows between his fingers. Finishing his trip he hopped up and slid onto the front of his deck, bringing one knee up to wrest on while the other dangled off the edge. He spun the arrows individually between his fingers as he addressed the class.

"Ok, while I will admit that using a chalk dust covered eraser as a distraction was a clever idea the rest of the trap was just pitiful. First off who uses a tripwire? I mean yes it is a classic but it's also extremely unreliable as the targeted person could easily step over it and you definitely should not rely on one to set off your other traps, like the bucket. Instead of having it connected to the wire you should have set it up so it would fall when the door was opened more than half way or if you _needed_ to use a wire then do so at the top of the door frame. Remember the person was just blinded by chalk dust the last thing that they're going to want to do is look up. And finally the arrows. While they were a good idea you should have set the launchers up at different angles and had a couple placed in front of the door, so while the person is focusing on the ones in front of them they won't notice the rest." He clenched his hand into a fist, snapping the arrows. "So over all I give it a D+." He finished, giving the class a small grin.

_'Show off.'_ Chamo muttered as he crawled down Negi's arm to sit on the desk, Kalma fluttering after him.

_'Don't hate.'_

The entire class was wide eyed and silent, gawking at him, but he noticed that two in particular were sporting light blushes and looking rather humiliated. "Ah sorry about that." One of them said, a small girl with pink hair tide back into two pigtails and bright pink eyes. "We thought you were our teacher." The other finished. She look exactly like the first girl except her eyes were blue and her hair was done up into buns and covered the same bag accessory that he had seen the girl that was selling food wear. The Narutaki twins if he memorized the roster correctly.

Shizuna came up beside him. "Actually girls he is your teacher. Starting today he will be replacing Takahata as 2-A's English and homeroom teacher."

There was silence for all of 10 seconds before...

"WHAT?!" The class collectively screamed, the force of which was actually enough to knock Chamo off his paws.

Shizuna nodded, unaffected by the noise. "Yes, he was actually hired by the Dean himself. Now please quiet down and allow him to introduce himself."

The girls complied, sitting back into their seats while they examined the cloaked figure in front of them. He stood from his spot on the desk and walked around it to deposited the remnants of the arrows he was still holding. Reaching over he picked up a stick of chalk and began writing on the board in English, when he finished he placed the chalk back and turned to them. Bringing his hands up he grabbed the edges of his hood and pulled it back, revealing his face.

The first thing the girls noticed was his hair. It fell down his face in long spiked bangs that parted around his eyes and continued on to his shoulders, but what truly grabbed their attention was the color. His hair seemed to be double sided, on the outside it was a shining ruby red while the inside was a dark brown. This combined with his large glowing ruby pink eyes was a striking contrast to his skin color. It looked almost paper white, as if he had never seen the light of day. His face was a bit round but lacked any of the usual baby fat that a child would have. What it did have though were scars. One long scar started at his hairline on his left side and cut down and right, across his eye over his nose and through the right corner of his mouth before ending under his chin. Three other scars that looked like claw marks streaked down his right cheek while his left sported a random array of smaller ones. They also noticed that he had several piercings. There were two rings going through the outer edge of his right eyebrow, a small spike in his left nostril, and a snake bite on the left side of his lower lip. From what they could see of his ears it looked like he had a spiral helix in the top section of his right ear and several smaller piercings in his left earlobe. A few of the girls thought they saw the flashing of a tongue piercing when he spoke.

Over all the girls were having a hard time deciding if he was exotically cute or frightening, though a few of them did blush including Shizuna who had yet to see his face without his hood covering it in shadow. When he cocked his head to the side and gave them a gentle smile they made their decision.

"HE'S SO CUTE!" several of them squealed as more than half the class jumped up from their seats to hug or pinch the cheeks of their new child teacher while bombarding him with questions.

"Where are you from?"

"How old are you?"

"Are you really a teacher?"

The girls fired off each question in rapid succession, the ruckus drowning out Shizuna's attempts the quell them. With the crowd cutting of his view of the room, he missed the expressions on three of his students. One was of genuine shock that slowly melted into a devious smirk, another was a cross of horror and guilt and the last one was a mixture of astonishment, regret, joy and finally hope.

"Can we keep him Professor?" asked one of the students.

"No girls you cannot "keep him" as I said he will be your new Homeroom and English teacher. He has all the necessary credentials and I heard from the Dean that he was the top graduating student at his university in his year and has several Academic Degrees."

Negi felt one of the girls wrap her arms around him from behind and squeal. "Amazing, he's so smart and at such a young age!"

_'Well, it looks like my introduction to the class is going well. Well except for the fact that I haven't been able to actually introduce myself yet.'_

"Alright everyone that is enough!" a loud commanding voice rang out, silencing the whole class. "Now return to your seats, you are causing trouble for our new sensei." Through a small gap in the dispersing crowd Negi was able to see that the voice belonged to a tall, fair skinned girl with long blonde hair that flowed down to her waist. She had emerald green eyes and carried an air of wealth about her.

As the students returned to their seats, moaning and grumbling, Negi leaned back against the chalkboard next the words he wrote. "Thank you Ms. Yukihiro." He said, giving the girl a small nod.

She smiled warmly at him in return, a small blush coloring her cheeks. "You're most welcome sensei and please, just call me Ayaka."

"HOLD ON A SECOND, why is Professor Takahata being replaced by this pipsqueak?!" Came a booming cry. The voice belonged to a tall red-head who's long hair was tied back into two ponytails by a pair of twin bell ribbons. She stood behind her desk, pointing an accusing finger at Negi.

Negi cocked his head to the side, choosing to ignore the "pipsqueak" comment while Shizuna scolded the girl. "Asuna, while I understand that you are upset by the sudden change, that is no excuse for your disrespect young lady!"

The girl gritted her teeth in irritation. "There is no way that some brat could replace Takahata-sensei, he probably won't be able to do half the job that sensei could!" As soon as the words left her mouth Asuna's world went cold, cold to the point that she thought she saw her own breath and the rest of the class felt the same.

"Excuse me Ms Kagurazaka..." Negi's voice brought their attention back to him and some shivered at the sound of it. It was no more than a whisper but the shear level of venom and hate that it carried could be heard by every student in the room. It was only made worse by the look he was giving Asuna. His once bright pink eyes were now glazed over like ice on a lake and his lips were pulled back in a barely contained snarl. "I must request that you _never_ compare me to Takamichi again, is that understood?"

Asuna felt frozen in place, fear sapping her energy and clouding her thoughts. She was just barely able to nod her when it all stopped. Negi's scowl became a warming smile and his eyes flickered back to their usual shade. "Thank you." He said happily, though there was still an underlining tension in his voice.

Shizuna, after pulling herself together, turned to address the class "Now then, I was informed by the Dean that the Academy where the professor here graduated from assigns a special after graduation test to its students. They are each assigned a random but fitting task that they must be able to complete in order to fully graduate. If they fail then they must return to an extra year of school before they can be assigned another task."

"What happens if they pass?" asked a rather board looking girl with long dark purple hair and light purple eyes."

"If we pass, Ms. Ayase, then we are free to do as we wish and leave our assigned jobs to look for something new, though most usually choose to stay." Negi answered.

"What was your schools name?"

"What country was it in?"

"What kind of school allows children to graduate?"

Negi raised his hand to cut off another stream of questions. "I know that you all have allot of questions for me and I thought of a perfect way for you to ask them and for me to start the class all in one go. I would like everyone that has a question that you wish to ask me to raise your hand and when I call on you, you may ask it but ONLY if you can do so in English."

That got a collected moan out of the class. "Now now girls it's not that bad. How about we start off with something simple. Can any of you read what my name is?" He asked, pointing at the words he wrote on the board with his thumb.

Negi

S

Springfield

The class slowly read over the English script, testing the words on their lips.

"Anyone?" He asked after a few moments. When he saw a nervous hand go up he gave the girl a nod to stand. She was a fit girl with well tanned skin, blonde hair and grass green eyes. He recognized her from the class roster as Ku Fei. She stood slowly, clearly regretting her decision. "There's no reason to be nervous Ms. Fei, if you make a mistake I will correct you." He reassured her.

"Um, N-Negi, S, Springfierd?" Ku tried. She was shifting in place, clearly uncomfortable with the classes eyes on her.

"You were close but you mispronounced the L in my last name." When he saw her cheeks redden in shame he quickly added. "But it's alright, from what I understand many Asian dialects don't have the western pronunciation for the letter L. Why don't we take a quick moment to practice it as a class?"

Negi watch as Ku sat back in her seat, giving him a small but grateful smile as he addressed the rest of the class room. "Now from what I have read one of the main difference between the English and Japanese pronunciation for the letter L is the amount of time the speaker allows their tongue to stay connected to the roof of their mouth. When you go to say a word containing the letter L you must allow your tongue to remain in contact with the roof of your mouth for a few moments longer, similar to when you pronounce an N in a word. It also help if you curve the tip of your tongue back while you are doing so, I feel that it makes the transition between letters and sounds easier. Such as HeLLLow, LLLike, LLLick, foLLLLow. Now you try?"

He spent the next few minutes wandering the room and aiding the students in their lesson before he felt that most of them had gotten the hang of it. "Very good but I would still like you all to please spend some time after school practicing." He walked back down to the front of the class and leaned back against the board. "Now how about we start the Q and A? But remember to ask your questions in English and try not to make them to personal. Shizuna-san you are free to stay if you would like." He said looking over to his co-worker who had remained by his desk since they entered. She thought for a moment before nodding and he pulled out his chair for her, bringing it to the side of his desk. At her questioning look he said simply. "I prefer standing." And with that done hands shot up around the room like rockets.

"How old are you?" asked the first girl.

"In English please Ms. Sasaki" Negi sighed.

"Oops, sorry Sensei. How oLd are you?"

_'Close enough.' _"I am twelve years old but if any of you still go by the Kazowe system then I would be thirteen."

"Are those two your pets?" Another student asked. One who's name first caught his attention when reading over the roster. Konoka Kanoe. The Dean's own granddaughter.

"Yes. Chamo is an ermine I picked up when I was younger and Kalma is a raven that I raised sometime later."

"There so cute, can I pet them professor?"

"Well..." Chamo turned to him with wide teary eyes, his lower lip quivering. "Oh fine." He sighed and Chamo wasted no time in jumping from the deck and into the girls waiting arms. Melting into a puddle when she began scratching behind his ears. Kalma decided to remain where she was.

The next question came from a somewhat plump girl that reminded Negi of a Koala. Satsuki Yotsuba "Where are you from?"

"I was born in a village in the mountains of Wales."

"What school did you go to?" Asked a tall girl with long brown hair that was mostly tied back into a ponytail leaving only a few loose bangs framing her face. Akira Okouchi.

"I attended a private University in England for five years. Due to its isolation from the rest of the world and the fact that it is a mostly private school, giving its name would be pointless."

One of the girls jumped up from her desk. She was relatively short when compared to the rest of the class. She wore her long black hair down in two tight pigtails with the exception of a few stray strands and had on a pair of wide circle framed glasses. "Hold on a second, how.."

"In English please Ms. Hakase."

She gritted her teeth but none the less restarted her question. "Professor Shizuna said that you have several academic degrees. How could you obtain ANY Degrees with only five years of schooling?" She asked in a disbelieving voice.

"It is true that I only attended my school for five years but thanks to a special program it has I was able to graduate faster than most other schools would allow."

"And what program is that?" She all but demanded.

" In the beginning month of a school year any student may take an evaluation test to see if they are eligible for an advanced studies program but only for their majors, electives do not count. If the students are eligible and choose to join then they are taken away from the main school body and placed into a separate section of the Academy. The program has no official name yet but it basically boils down to this. All of the students courses are immediately bumped up to an advanced college level, with the chance for early advancement if the students desire to do so, and classes are extended by several hours. Originally the Academy's school hours ran from 8:00 Am to 3:00 Pm, in the advanced program that time changes to 7:30 Am to 5:00-7:00 Pm depending on how many majors you are taking. Any electives that you have are studied in the first two hours of class. Also almost all vacations and days off are cut down. Spring break is two weeks as opposed to a month, summer vacation is cut to three weeks unless the student makes a request, and we only get two consecutive days off every two weeks. The only exceptions are for three days off for Christmas, two days off for studying before a major test and a day off after said test. The following school year's classes are raised for the final time to an academic level and test are given out less frequently. We get to choose how long we attend the program for though. Students may drop out at any time and they will be placed back into normal classes fitting their current grade level. However any student that does not pass the end year finals will be forcefully dropped out, it is a very unforgiving program when it comes to failing tests. We are given an in class breakfast and two thirty minute lunch breaks. The program runs for four years minimum to eight years max and we are allowed to choose when we want to take our graduation test within that time. At the end of the program our graduation test are graded and we are given an academic diploma that reflects our overall score for each major. If we fail any of the test then we most repeat a year of school for that subject."

The class and Shizuna stared at him completely gob smacked. '_Who in their right mind would willingly sit through that!?'_ Was their collective thought. After a long silence it was Satomi that finally broke the spell. "H-how many degrees did you earn?" Her voice was filled with awe and Negi sensed a growing respect in it.

Ignoring that fact that she broke the English only rule he answered. "I received a Doctorates in biology, and Master degrees in chemistry, English, mathematics, and zoology. I signed up for the program almost immediately after I was enrolled and chose to take my graduation tests at the end of my fourth year along side six other students. I spent my fifth year focusing on my electives which were genetics, biochemistry and a few music classes." He bit down a smirk at the bug-eyed faces they were making and chose to throw in one more sucker punch. "When I first started there were fifty-two students in the program as well, most of them had already been attending for a few years by the time I joined. When I decided to take my graduation tests thirty-four others chose to do the same and of those thirty-four only twelve graduated with me."

Silence was his response. Complete and utter silence brought on by disbelief and awe. It was his favorite kind of silence really, right underneath fearful anticipation.

But sadly he had a job to do and couldn't afford to enjoy the moment for too long. Bringing his hands up he clapped loudly to convey the class back to reality. "Are there any more questions?"

A girl in the back raised her hand, she had semi long brown hair with part of it tied into a pony tail at one side of her head. Yuna Akashi. "H-how hard were the graduation tests?"

"Each major had its own test that took three days to complete and consisted of a one-hundred and fifty question packet on the subject, a ten page essay and a live demonstration of each individuals knowledge on the subject in front of the schools staff. The demonstrations varied depending on the subject. For example, in my biology demonstration I had to dissect several cadavers and give an oral assessment on the bodies state of decay, its cause of death and name several dozen organs and bones along with their uses." Negi stated to the class.

"Th-that program sounds like a living hell." Satomi said. To which Negi could only nod his head. "It really was. The amount of all-nighters and after class studies I had to do made me regret my decision a few months in, but I stuck with it and managed to do pretty damn well if I do say so. Now the next question and lets please avoid any more about my education, I feel that we spent enough time on the subject."

The next question came from a thin girl with soft pink hair and red eyes, Ako Izumi. "What instruments do you play?"

"I can play the violin, several types of flute but I prefer the pan flute, and the pipe organ." '_Which was basically a requirement for someone like me.'_ He said over his link to Chamo and Kalma, making them snicker.

The next girl, who he recognized as the one that hugged him, had long dark green hair, red eyes and wore a pair of rectangle bottom-framed glasses. "If you don't mind me asking, how did you get those scars?"

Out the corner of his eye he noted the harsh, betrayed look that Ako was giving the girl. Deciding to look into it later he said. "I clearly remember asking that the questions avoid personal topics Ms Saotome." She had the good graces to look ashamed but her stare said that she still wanted to know.

He ignored her gaze however and checked the time on the clock that hung on the class wall. _Five minutes left huh. _"Alright, seeing as the period is almost over you may spend the remainder of class talking amongst yourselves."

The girls happily complied as they stood from the respective chairs to continue their conversations from before. Shizuna stood as well and, with a polite farewell to Negi, left the room. After bringing his chair back behind the desk Negi decided to sit down and watch over the room.

'_Something feels...wrong.'_

_'You feel it too?' _Kalma asked as she fluttered onto his shoulder. Chamo climbed up behind her after reluctantly pulling himself away from his petting session. Since they had entered the room the trio could feel a strange mixture of magic flowing through the air. That on its own wouldn't have been too unusual given where they were, but the fact that it came from several separate points gave them a reason to pause. They all knew that there would definitely be magically gifted students that attended the school, it was obvious really since over half of the staff members where mages. But some of the energies that they were feeling now definitely came from something other than normal mages. One extra thing bothered him. It was something he noticed before entering the class. A small, creeping feeling on the back of his mind, one that he knew all too well.

_'The dead walk these grounds, but where?' _Then he remembered. '_That shimmer from before.'_ It was still there. The last seat in the first row, closest to the windows. A faint haze floated in the air, barely noticeable by the naked eye. '_Well what have we hear?'_ He focused a bit of magic into his eyes and watched as the hazing cleared. Fading away like the a morning fog to reveal a girl. She was a small, deathly pale thing with long snow white hair and striking red eyes. She wore a school uniform but it was different from what the other students wore. Instead of the typical brown jacket with a violet vest, white under shirt and checkered skirt she wore a white sailor fuku with a blue collar and dress skirt.

He watched in silence as she gazed out the window, a small frown on her lips. _'The poor thing, she probably hasn't had any form of social interaction since she died.'_ Kalma said and Negi agreed. Even amongst mages the ability to interact or even see ghost without performing some sort of ritual was a rarity. As if feeling his eyes on her the girl turned to face him. Their eyes met and for a split second Negi could see a growing hope in hers. But it was quickly squashed down as the girl shook her head in hopeless disbelief.

XxX

Sayo Aisaka sat in her usual seat in class 2-A while she watched the other student go about their business. Greeting all of their friends and sharing stories about the things they did over the summer. The familiar form of Kazumi Asakura drew her attention as she watched the girl make her way across the room to sit down in her assigned seat, right next to her.

Sayo gave the girl a small smile. "Good morning Asakura-san." She spoke feebly.

But the girl ignored her, instead turning back in her chair to talk to one of the other students. Sayo's head lowered. Honestly, she shouldn't have expected anything less. No one had ever noticed her before, not since she had died. Yes, student number one Sayo Aisaka was a ghost. Since her death sixty years ago she had been cursed to wander the grounds of Mahora Academy. She retained no knowledge as to how she died and only had a few scattered memories of her actual life. She had tried calling out, screaming for someone _anyone_ to notice her. But they would just continue on with what they were doing, ignorant to her cries. At one point, by complete chance, she had stumbled across one of the schools secrets. That most of the staff, including the Dean himself, was made up of mages. The discovery had filled her with a profound hope, having heard stories from random conversations that mages could use their powers to communicate with spirits. But she was met with disillusionment at every turn. The only reaction she had ever been able to get out of them was a brief moment of awareness, a quick glance in her direction or a silent shudder and that was all.

Eventually she gave up on it all together and resigned herself to attending classes. Sitting in the same chair she had used when alive. It was one of the only thing she remembered from her life. As the years went by so did her class mates. She would watch year after year of new students flood through the doors filling the room with chatter and laughter only to disappear with the coming summer. It pained her greatly. Growing close to each of them, laughing when they laughed and crying when they cried even if they never noticed. Only to loose them when they graduated from the Academy. But she suffered through it, the pain was the only reassurance she had that she was real.

This day started like all the others. She waited in the room for the other students to file in and would watch as they went through the day. On occasion she would try speaking, a small irrational hope still burning for someone to notice.

"I heard that we might be getting a new teacher this year." Kazumi's voice caught her ear.

"I heard the same thing. I think Konoka mentioned it to me. Something about a friend of her grandfather or something."

'It's most likely going to be another mage then.' Sayo reflected, remembering Takahata's first day as the class's new teacher some years back.

"What?!" Screamed a furious Asuna. "Konoka is it true, are they really replacing Takahata-Sensei?"

Konoka placed a finger to her chin in thought. "Well I remember hearing grandpa say that someone he knew was coming to Japan to be a teacher. I think I overheard him talking to sensei about moving him to the Collage classes a couple days ago but I didn't stay around long enough to hear the whole thing."

"B-but why would they replace Takahata-sensei?" Asked a dejected Asuna.

"Oh calm down Red, god forbid you take a break from your one sided old man complex." Said a snarky Ayaka as she used the back of her hand to cover a self satisfied grin at insulting her long time nemesis.

"What did you say Blondie? Takahata-sensei is not an old man he's a mature adult." She stormed over to the other girl and the two slammed foreheads like they always did.

Sayo ignored their confrontation having witnessed it countless times before. Some minutes later there was a series of hard knocks at the door. The other students scrambled to their seats and once the clamor died down the door opened. Sayo watched in fascination as a small cloaked figure walked confidently into the room and effortlessly handled all of the traps that were set up around the door. She laughed when the boy actually graded the class on the traps performance and was one of the few that blushed when he finally showed his face.

One thing held her interest though and it only became more questionable when Asuna decided to take out her frustrations on him. After she compared him to Takahata a strange thing happened though she doubted any of the others noticed. As a ghost she was able to see a small amount of the life force that all living things had. It usually came in the form of a small glowing aura that hugged the person like a second skin though the aura for mages typically expanded out more. Depending on the organism the color of the aura varied. Green for humans, pink for animals, blue for plants, yellow for mages and some of the students in her class had red surrounding them for some reason. This person however didn't have an aura. That was a first. From all the years she spent haunting Mahora she had never seen ANYONE without some kind of aura surrounding them. His two pets where a different story. The ermine's aura was a blend of pink yellow and purple while the raven's was a dark, almost black, shade of purple and it was fluctuating rapidly, as if it was trying to reach out for something only to draw back when it didn't find whatever it was looking for.

But that changed when Asuna insulted him. An inky black presence emerged from his body and the ravens strange aura was immediately drawn to it, feeding it as it filled the room. The other students shivered but Sayo felt different. As the strange presence washed over her she felt as if she was bathed in warm water. It wrapped around her form and comforted her, rejuvenated her. She felt as if she could fly around the world a hundred times while singing. 'Wh-what is this, this feeling.'

"Thank you." Negi's somewhat happy voice rang out and just like that the feeling was gone, leaving her dazed and confused.

She practiced along with that rest of the class during their quick English lesson though she didn't need it, having fluently mastered the language many years ago, and listened to his answers during the "Q and A" but she couldn't stop thinking about that wonderful feeling.

'Maybe this year won't be so bad. And if he passes his test and decides to stay then I might get to experience that sensation again.' She thought with a wistful smile. But the smile fell away in place of darker thoughts as she remembered the decades of loneliness she had suffered. 'Who am I kidding. With my luck he'll choose to leave. In all the time I spent in this place nothing good has ever happened to me.' She let out a small chocked sob. 'Hell, Asakura-san is the first person that has ever been able to sit next to me and she doesn't even notice me.' She gazed out the window to watch the many birds that soured through the sky. Unbound to one location and free to go where they wished, free to move on. The girl lost herself in the sight until she felt a small jolt run down her spine. She twisted around to see that her new teacher was looking in her direction. No. He was looking right at her, right into her eyes. 'Can he, does he see me?' A small hope began building in her chest as the two maintained eye contact. But she stomped it back down as rationality kicked in. Why did she keep doing this to herself? How many times was she going to allow herself to be disappointed?

'"He doesn't see me he just feels my presence." She said to herself and she looked away. Unwilling to give her idiotic hopes more fuel.

_'BRRIIING'_

The school bell rang out causing the class to jump up and cheer. They rushed out the door with quick goodbyes to their new teacher. When the last student left Negi stood from his chair and walked around his desk. He raised his right hand into the air and snapped his fingers. The sound echoed in the now empty room, startling Sayo. The classroom door slammed shut on its own while the blinds to the class and outside windows fell down, blocking all light from entering.

The resident ghost regarded the child teacher with a raised eyebrow. 'What is he...' Her thoughts stopped when the boy turned to face where she sat, a gentle smile gracing his scared face as he approached her. He stopped right in front of her desk and she would swear that if she had a heart it would be hammering in her chest. She watched as he leaned down, his eyes never leaving hers and what he did next made her feel like she could die all over again. He spoke.

"Hello Sayo."


	3. Comforts and Fears

ITS ALIVE, ITS ALIVE!

I have NO excuse why this took so fucking long...oh wait yes i do. basically it comes down to finding work, finding schools, getting another temp job and working it, getting back into reading (yay), and getting back into gaming. so many games. O_O _so many..._

but any who im back, here is the next chapter, im going to start on the next one after work tomorrow.

oh and the next chapter of The Black Hand is on its way. i have Nine pages down and from what i planed out im not even half way done. after that i'll start on The Second Coming...after another five hours of GTA 5 online...and DAI which i haven't touched in weeks or finished yet...and beer...YAY BEER!

also i've been thinking about working on some other fics. dont think i will but if i do then im not going to post any of their chapters until i build up around 15 or so. dont want to keep you guys waiting on all my shit.

* * *

Jewel pink eyes held vibrant red as Negi gazed down at the spectral schoolgirl. Her wide, fearful eyes captured his face as the poor girl sat trembling in her seat. Whether it was from actual fear or disbelief he wasn't entirely sure but he did find the look to be cute on her. In a twisted sort of way. Her long winter blue hair fell across her snow white skin. It was oddly solid looking, Negi noted. Most ghost that he had met were almost completely transparent, yet he was almost unable to see the chair she was sitting on. 'The schools magic must be feeding her.'

"Y-you can see me?" Her voice was a soft whisper like a morning breeze. Its tone was clear and gently, as if it had never been used to express rage.

Negi smiled gently. The poor girl looked so fragile, as if she could break with the simplest of actions. "And hear you." He replied with a kind laugh.

Her eyes were beginning to water and her form was shuddering. A hand came up to cover her none existing heart. "B-but no one ever sees me." The tears came and her voice broke with a pain so deep, Negi doubted he would be able to see its depths.

'I don't think I'll ever get used to seeing a ghost cry. Some times I forget their even capable.' Had he been a lesser man the sight would have broken him. But now it simply pulled at something within him. Something old and buried. Kalma fluttered onto his shoulder and fed him what she had.. He raised a hand and channeled a bit of magic into it. 'My powers may be sealed but I can still do this much.'

Sayo felt a great warmth wash over her and with a jolt noticed that it was the same feeling from before. Black tendrils filled her vision as she raised her head. The boy's hand was before her, glowing in a black non-light that almost called out to her. Her eyes stared wet and curious, wondering what he was trying to do as the hand moved closer. And then she felt. She felt as his fingers brushed then gently held her cheek. She felt as a thumb came up to wipe the tears away. She felt, she _felt_, and when she looked up into the tender eyes of her new strange teacher, she cried. The arm that wasn't covering the phantom pain of her heart came up hesitantly, afraid of shattering the illusion and revealing the cruel world. Her hand reached over the desk between them and rested against his face. And she felt. A sob the sound of a injured animal escaped her.

Negi stood straighter as the girl flew from her seat and wrapped her arms around him and he wrapped an arm around her waist while the other calmly patted her head. Loud wrenching sobs tore from her throat and Negi was sure that if her tears were physical, his shirt would be soaked through. He could feel her hands clawing and flexing around his back, like she was still checking if he was there.

"Shh shh, it's alright. I'm not going anywhere."

Her sobs were loud and choking. "Y-you can, I-I-I- c-can, I-I-_I_..." She pulled back and the face she wore was the most heart breaking thing he had ever seen. Eyes running and squinted with pain, lips pulled back to release another round of sobs, disarrayed hair sticking to her nonexistent skin.

He brought his hand down and began wiping the new wave of tears from her face. "Please stop crying. Tears don't suit you."

She closed her eyes, trying desperately to control her emotions so she could enjoy her first real interaction with a person in who knows how long. "B-but...how? how can you s-see me, o-or hear me or," her hold on him tightened as she pressed herself against him. "or hold me?"

Negi chuckled, his free hand busily fixing her hair. "I'm on familiar terms with the nature of ghosts and undead things." At her confused look he added. "Most people like me, that being mages, don't really bother studying ghost or spirits, nor do they make the effort to craft ways of interacting with them outside of banishment or sealing. I on the other hand have spent most of my life doing the opposite, among other things."

She nodded slowly against his shoulder, only half listening really. She stayed like that for a comfortable minute until a though struck her and she pulled back. Negi was just moving the last of her hair when she asked. "Um, sensei?"

"Hm?"

"H-how did you know my name?"

He looked down at her quizzically and reached into his bag, which he slipped onto his back when the bell rang, and pulled out the class roster. "It's on the roster I got for the class, see." He opened the booklet to the seating chart and pointed to her picture. And sure enough there it was. At the top right corner Sayo stared at a slightly faded picture of herself. Someone wrote underneath it, a small note saying; _1940- don't move her seat._

She looked at it for a long hard moment. Her eyes moving from the picture to the note back to the picture. "H..did they know?" She mumbled.

"What?"

She tapped a shaking finger to the page. "I-I don't remember much from when I _was_ alive." She paused a moment when her voice broke. "B-but I do remember having black hair, not white."

Negi opened his mouth then closed it with a loud _click_. He tilted the book back a bit and glared at it like it had betrayed him somehow. As he studied the picture more closely he saw that Sayo's body was slightly transparent and that the background was a slight mixture of tan and pink...just like the others. "Sayo, does this school do class pictures student by student or in groups?

"Umm, groups. They have all the students stand in a row and take one large picture. 2-A actually has the same students from when it was 1-A last year." She scratched the back of her head sheepishly though her eyes dulled with sadness. "I usually join in when they have them. Makes me feel like I'm part of the class, you know?"

But he was only half listening. He could almost feel the revelation click in his head. "This was intentional." His fingers tightened till they were white and the pages of the booklet crumpled. Sayo backed away fearfully as his face contorted into a fierce snarl. But he didn't notice, to lost in his rising rage. "Those fuckers knew they had a lost spirit in the class and did _nothing_!" On his shoulders Kalma and Chamo eased away nervously. There were few things that could truly set Negi off but once they did the storm that followed was devastating. To everyone.

The last word held so much revulsion and scorn that Sayo had to fight herself from flying through the walls to get away. Until the meaning hit her. "They...they knew I was here?" Her voice was growing quiet. "But. But they never said anything, they never noticed me when I was around them." She sunk to the floor, head tilted back and eyes wide in helpless shock. Tears weld in her eyes "They knew I was here."

Somehow, through his rage, Sayo's words reached him and he forced himself to calm. Looking down he saw that her body was beginning to shake with sobs. He tossed aside the roster and knelt so he could pull her into a hug which she desperately returned. But he tasted blood as he bit down angrily on his tongue. 'Takahata and the Dean seem to be doing a good fucking job at ignoring those who need them.' Out loud he said. "Sayo, how would you like to be bound to me?" It was the only thing he could think of to make her feel better.

"W-what?" she mumbled into his shoulder.

"A binding. I can't do one right now, don't have the items I need. But a few years ago I found away for a mage to bind spirits to themselves. Not a sealing or forced slavery like other mages do but a true binding, a partnership. Through me you'll be able to us magic and interact more with physical objects. I could even make you visible to other people. But more importantly you won't be bound to the place of you death like other ghosts. You won't be able to move to far away from me but when I leave the campus you can follow me."

His words bounced around in her head. A binding? She could leave campus? People would _see_ her? "I won't be alone?"

Negi shook his head. "No. you'll have me."

"Don't forget us!" Sayo jumped when the ermine that had made its way onto Negi's head began speaking. She pulled back to look at it.

"Did you just..."

"Speak? Why yes, yes I did. I can also sing, dance, and entertain children at parties."

The raven that was standing next to him slapped a wing over his head. "You're killing the mood idiot." Then looking at Sayo she said. "Hi."

At her stunned look Negi said. "Kalma and Chamo are my familiars, magical creatures that a mage binds to themselves. If you allow me to bind you then the four of us will always be able to tell where the others are. You'll never be alone."

Sayo sniffed loudly and nodded and the three of them smiled back at her.

"So how did it go?" Konoemon asked Shizuna. After Negi has dismissed the class she immediately went to the Dean's office, like he had asked her to do that morning. Takamichi stood next to her, having just finished his class.

"It went well." She answered. "There was some fuss with the Narutaki twins but he handled it well. He managed to introduce himself to the class and actually turned it into a lesson by making them ask any questions they had in English."

The Dean smiled brightly. "Ah good good. I knew he would have a strong start, he was always a smart boy."

Shizuna shared his happiness until she remembered something. "There was one thing however. It seems Asuna-san wasn't happy with having a new teacher and might have said something that offended him but I'm not sure why."

Takamichi raised a brow at the mention of his old student. "Oh, what happened?"

Shizuna told them how Asuna had jumped up from her chair and insulted Negi, mentioning how she compared him to Takamichi and how he reacted. From the looks they were giving her she guessed that it didn't surprise them, though they did look a bit sad.

"I see." Konoemon said. His eyes down cast. He let out a dejected sigh. "Well as long as he is handling the students well I suppose that's all we can ask for." Takamichi nodded.

Shizuna cleared her throat. "I'm sorry Konoemon-sama but...what-why does Negi-san seem so...agitated when it comes to the two of you?" She asked hesitantly.

Takamichi looked at her for a moment then looked away. "Its...a matter between the three of us I'm afraid."

She wanted to question more but the Dean cut her off. "Shizuna-san I need to ask a favor of you, a very important one regarding Negi-san." She stood straighter and gave a nod, surprised at how unusually serious his tone was. He licked his lips in thought, trying hard to find the right words to use. "Negi-san has not had an easy or pleasant life I'm afraid. I won't tell you why, it's not my place. But what happened to him has left him untrusting of others no matter the age which is why we're so pleased with his performance in class, it shows that he's not as cold as he used to be. But from what the Headmaster at the academy has told me it seems that he has a tendency to act out outside of the classroom. This is most likely his way of coping but from what my friend has reported to me in later years it would seem that he has taken on more...self destructive hobbies rather than ones that would heal."

From the corner of her eye she could see Takamichi lower his head and she gulped, a cold uneasiness clawed at the back of her skull. Whatever had happened to Negi, whether it was caused by the two or if they were merely a part of it, was serious. As the schools guidance counselor she was familiar with various forms of emotional and mental damage though thankfully her skills in that regard were rarely needed with Mahora's students. But that never stopped her from her studies.

"What precisely did he believe Negi-san was doing?"

The Dean opened one of his drawers and pulled out a small folder and handed it out to her. She took it reluctantly and opened it. He spoke. "From what I was told Negi had a habit of isolating himself from the rest of his class, specifically those of his own age or young teens while the rest he simply ignored. Though he was never seen acting out in class he has involved himself in a few fights with some of the older students after school hours. One letter I received during his third year said that he was caught up in an illegal fight club that was held by some of the senior students though it goes on to say that he reported them all to the academies staff but only _after_ he had hospitalized most of them.

She continued reading through the reports. Apparently the Headmaster had his staff spy on the boy and report anything noteworthy back to him. The reports from the staff members where detailed and they all agreed that while he was usually found separate from his classmates or involved in the occasional fight he never acted out openly in a negative way. Several later letters from his final years stated that he had actually begun aiding several other students in their studies or other activities. It wasn't until a few pages in when she read something that made her heart stop and her skin freeze.

Konoemon hummed. "Yes I see you found it." She looked back to him, her arms were beginning to shake. "What we need, what Negi needs, is for someone to get close to him. Someone to break through the emotional shell he's built up. While Takahata and I are fairly positive that he won't project his emotional damage onto any of the other students it is not for their sake that we are concerned. But for his. What I ask of you Shizuna-san is to help him. Please. Before it's too late to do anything."

She agreed instantly, how could she not.

_Report by Frank Cleanway, May 6, 1999._

_URGENT!_

_During a routine workout session that I had the class do for warm ups I had Negi Springfield and several other students perform laps around the gymnasium. On their fourth lap Negi was bumped into by one of the other students and the two of them fell onto the floor. When I went to help them up I noticed several fading puncture wounds on Negi's left arm and I know for a fact that none of the students have received any medical shots recently. Sir, I would hate to believe the worst but I think you should have someone search Negi's dorm room during classes tomorrow._

_Report by Carle Zap May 7, 1999._

_URGENT!_

_Sir, I searched through the kids room just like you asked but I didn't find anything at first. But as I was about to leave I noticed something shine by his dresser. Sir it was a syringe needle, used. I moved the dresser aside and found a hollow inside the wall. It had drugs in it. Stuffed into a small bag. I took a few samples to the labs when I left and had them run some test._

_2 bottles of whisky: 1 empty_

_1 medical bottle of LSD_

_3 unlabelled medical bottle of high dose antidepressants/ 1 liquid 2 pills_

_2 unlabelled medical bottles of high dose painkillers/ pills_

_1 bottle of Everclear/ empty_

_I left the stuff where I found it and moved the dresser back so he wouldn't notice someone snooping around his room. You need to do something and fast._

_Report by Carle Zap May 19, 1999_

_I searched through his room again like you asked me to and I still haven't found any sign of drugs of any form. The nurse says that all of his physicals are coming back clean. But I don't know if your talk worked on him or if he just found a better way to hid his stashes. I had a cousin that became an addict but nowhere near this young. But I do know that no one quits fast sir. Never this fast._


	4. A Warm Welcome and Old Hurts

Im back. long story short, got a job that takes most of my time especially since its the holidays, got sick for a while, and fallout 4 along side other video games.

* * *

Sayo floated happily along the path that led away Mahora Academy, humming tune that she didn't remember remembering while Kalma fluttered circles around her doing her best to chirp along. Negi walked beside them at a steady pace with Chamo on his shoulder. "..still not sure what I'm going to do for lessons." She heard him say.

"Well they're already decent at speaking English so just focus on teaching them to read and write." Chamo replied.

He ran his hand roughly through his hair. "Only a few are decent and they still have a thick accent, the rest kept slipping back into Japanese."

"Why didn't you think of something before we arrived in Japan?" Kalma asked.

"I was a bit busy if you didn't notice." He twirled a stand around his finger.

Chamo scoffed. "What, you mean with that whole 'apocalyptic revenge' thing you were raving about for the entire flight over?"

"Or are you talking about all the new clothes and souvenirs you were going to buy when we got here?" Kalma offered.

"Seriously, I thought that only chicks got that excited when it came to shopping."

"Alright fuck you and fuck you, there is nothing wrong with wanting to try new clothes."

Kalma squawked. "Need I remind you of the time we went to Russia on that school fieldtrip?"

"Or the episode you had when we left the airport and you saw the first bunch of stores on the way to the train station?"

His face turned red, a striking contrast to his normally pale white skin. "There is nothing wrong with my shopping habits."

Chamo patted his cheek. "Of course there isn't."

"Umm," Sayo started nervously, not wanting to intrude. "What happened after the airport?"

"NOTHING!" Negi snapped, his face almost glowing with embarrassment.

"Bro spent an _hour_ going from store to store and buying random stuff. From books to models to posters and food..."

"I had to threaten to peck his eyes out to stop him from going into the clothing store or we would have missed our train." Kalma sighed.

"If we did I would have just rented us a hotel room." He mumbled.

"Yeah, and we would have been a day late because of it."

"You must have bought like, half a thousand Pounds worth of random crap." Chamo added

"Hey, most of them were books and food so stuff it."

"What's that in yen anyway?"

"Roughly 192490." Negi answered.

"What, how?!" Chamo almost lost his grip on Negi's sleeve.

"Well yen works more like pence or cents since they don't have an equivalent to dollars so if instead of getting to one hundred pence and turning it into a pound if you have one hundred yen it's still one hundred yen."

"My head hurts."

"I thought you were good with money?"

"Ermine bucks are a global currency my dear boy, never have to worry about pesky things like exchange rates."

"I'm calling bullshit."

"Maybe if you would actually read up on modern world fairy culture and economics like I keep telling you to then you would actually understand half the crud I say." He whipped out a small pamphlet from under his fur and pressed it to Negi's cheek.

"For the hundredth time I am not reading that!"

"Well why the hell not? It's one of the most reliable sources on fairy culture!"

"No it's not!"

"Yes it is, I wrote it myself!"

"Which is how I know that it's bullshit!"

"Is there something wrong Sayo?" Kalma asked the girl.

Negi turned to see the dead girl hovering in place with her mouth open. "Sayo?"

"T-this is your first job right?" She asked.

"Yes..."

"Then where did you get so much money?"

Kalma snickered. "He has a gambling addiction."

"It's not an addiction!" He shrieked.

"You skipped four whole days of school to go gambling."

"It was a slow week. Nothing important was being taught."

"You gamble? But aren't there age restrictions?"

"I have ways of making myself look older and my gambling is not a problem."

"Said every addict ever." Kalma quipped.

"I'm sorry I didn't hear any of you complaining when I bought you those top end cages, the ones with the pools and wired TVs. Plus how much money have I lost in total?"

"Well..."Chamo tried.

"But.." Kalma came up blank.

"Exactly, I am a casino god! I never walk out empty." He boasted, raising his hands to the sky in self worship.

"Which is why you were thrown out twice." Kalma shot back.

"And one of those times got us into trouble with the mafia." Chamo added.

"THE MAFIA?!" Sayo shouted. She had heard stories about mafias, vast crime rings filled with blood thirsty killers. She could already see their glowing yellow eyes and filed teeth.

"I was wearing Forget-Me-Glasses, they don't remember a thing, and they fuck with cameras too so I got away scot-free." He said smugly. Crossing his arms over his chest.

"Oh." She sighed in relief. "Umm, where did you put all the stuff you bought?" His bag was large but it didn't look like it could hold that much.

Negi reached into his back pocket and pulled out what looked like a miniature wardrobe. "I put them in here." At Sayo's disbelieving look he added. "It grows and when I place an inanimate object inside they shrink with it."

"Oh." Was all she could say. She still couldn't wrap her head around the whole magi thing. The schools staff were very good at avoiding its use on campus and she was never able to follow them off school grounds to see how it worked.

"Who are you talking to sensei?" Negi turned to see Makie and Ako along with two other students that weren't from his class. He stuffed the wardrobe back into his pocket.

"Oh no one, just thinking out loud."

The other girls walked up to them, Ako carrying a ball in her hands. "Oh wow it's true, a child teacher." One of them said.

"Maybe he was talking to his pets." The other laughed.

"Aw they're so cute." The first girl said, reaching over to rub Chamo's chin.

_'Well hello ladies.'_

_'No.'_

_'Aw come on.'_

_'No!'_

"Hey Negi-sensei you want to play with us?" Ako smiled bouncing the ball on her feet.

Makie grabbed his shoulders. "Yeah sensei come join us, it'll be fun."

He shrugged her off gently and stepped away. "Sorry girls but I have some things that I need to take care of."

"Aw don't be such a stick in the mud."

"Have you two been practicing your L's?" He cut in.

"_URK_" Both Makie and Ako sunk back while their friends laughed.

"I'll take that as a no then." The two just chuckled nervously before ushering their still laughing friends away to restart their game.

Negi smiled softly to himself and started back down the path. He was quite taken with the beauty of the campus. From its wide clean walkways to the multitude of naturally placed trees to the practical orgy of architectural styles that made up the various buildings. From Gothic to Renaissance to Romanesque and Baroque. From what he saw when he first arrived and the quick research he did before leaving England it looked like Mahora was large enough to be its own city. It had a residential district that housed the school dorms and houses for the staff, a district for the Universities and research facilities, a shopping district, the Middle and high schools made up their own section with the elementary school placed a brief train ride away and if he read correctly there were several other districts that had little to do with the schools. The city was pinched between two massive lakes on the East and West sides with a river snaking through to connect them. Most of the city opened out to the South but the North was held in by a cluster of thick forests and tall mountains. Framing the two lakes were hundreds and hundreds of civilian buildings belonging to average people and the many shop owners and their employees since students under a collage level were not permitted to have jobs. And then there was the Academy's library. The library was its own damn island. An island! He was practically frothing at the mouth when he found that out. It was connected to the main land by a bridge, a bridge that attached to the Middle school district.

_'How much are you willing to bet that there's some pretty interesting stuff buried under that island.' _Kalma thought.

_'From what we read it is one of the oldest buildings in the city and it is isolated from the rest of the population. It would make sense for there to be something important there.'_ Chamo thought back.

Negi hummed. _'I doubt it. It's just to convenient.'_

_'Often times the last place someone will look is in the most obvious spot.'_ Kalma replied.

"Sayo have you ever been to the Library Island?"

"Oh, um, no. I can't get near it." She floated upside-down and backwards in front of them, touching a finger to her chin. Her hair was unaffected by any wind, leaving it to hang straight down.

Negi frowned."Why?"

She shrugged. "Whenever I get close to it I start felling weird, like I'm...sick, I think. I don't remember what it feels like to be sick, but I just don't like the way I feel when I get close to it. It's not like when I move to far from the campus. When that happens I get this strong urge to just turn around and go back, the farther I go the stronger it gets until I can't ignore it."

The group stopped at a large statue placed inside a wide circular plaza somewhere in the center of the school district. Negi plopped down on the steps that made the statues base and shrugged the bag from his back, both his and Kalma's minds running a mile a minute listing off the possible things that could make a ghost feel sick while Chamo decide to sun bathe.

_'...could be a rejection ward.'_ Kalma thought.

_'To specific, this place doesn't seem like it would have a spirit issue. The city maybe but not the campuses.'_

_'Remember that strong bodies of magic attract and maintain spirits.'_

_'But no major battles have happened anywhere near this place and The Wall is thick here and with the local temples there's a good chance that any remnant spirits would be exorcised, Sayo notwithstanding.'_

_'That wouldn't stop the locals from placing them anyway, we are in the East after all, you know how these people get. They practically wrote the book for the new worlds spirit rituals.'_

_'The magic could be the cause, she feels like she was a normal human when she died, maybe her soul isn't used to dealing heavy clusters of magic.'_

_'Depending on how long she has been dead she might have had time to grow accustomed.'_

_'If you are right and the vaults are under there then there might be power leaking from the stuff inside.'_

_'Could their wards really be that weak?'_

_'Maybe the items are just that strong?'_

_'What about other vaults? They wouldn't risk keeping everything in one spot.'_

_'Who says they are?'_

_'Then where?'_

_'Under the lakes.'_

_'The lakes?'_

_'Think about it, miles and miles of tunnels and networks placed to deep for any normal person to find on accident.'_

_'And a shit ton of wards and seals to keep out everyone else who's not supposed to be there.'_

_'Or didn't enter from the right place.'_

_'The Library?'_

_'The library, with the Dean's office and house placed well within throwing distance.'_

_'Clever dick.'_

_'She's going to fall.'_

_'What?'_ Negi and Kalma turned to look at Chamo who was propped up in his hind legs. He nodded over to a set of stairs so tall that they shadowed the trees that were planted around its base. A girl with short purple hair was walking down them precariously close to the un-railed edge while balancing a tall stack of books.

_'Isn't that Nodoka?'_ Kalma thought.

Negi was gritting his teeth. _'What are you doing so close to the edge, move over to the center!'_

A gust of wind tipped the books at the top, she stumbled to the side to keep them balanced, and stepped into air. The plaza filled with her screams.

Negi lurched forward. "GODDAMNIT!"

XxX

"So what did you think of our new sensei?" Konoka asked the others. The small group was walking back to the tram station after meeting their other teachers, most of whom were the same from last year.

"I like him aru." Ku exclaimed happily.

"You're just saying that because he didn't get mad at you for messing up his name." Asuna bit.

"And you're still pissed that he _did_ get mad at you for running your mouth off, Red." Ayaka scolded.

"Oh shut it Blondie at least I wasn't making goo-goo eyes at the back of his head the whole time."

"WHAT DID YOU SAY BITCH?!" She screeched. Turning to grab the girls twin tails.

"YOU HEARD ME PEDO BLOND!" She road, grabbing to fists full of blonde hair.

"At least I don't have an old man complex." She pulled hard.

"HE'S NOT THAT OLD!" Asuna yanked down.

"I wonder why Sensei was so mad when she mentioned Takahata-Sensei?" Konoka asked completely ignoring her friends repeated argument. Ku simply shrugged.

"Oh look it's Negi-sensei" Cried Ayaka, pushing the Red Devil aside.

"You would be the first one to spot him wouldn't you."

Negi was seated at the base of the Statue that depicted one of the schools founders. His legs were pulled up for his elbows to rest on and his hands were stapled together, propping his head up. His bird was perched on his shoulder. His eyes were narrowed as though he was stuck in a deep thought. Before they could call out to him they saw him and his bird turn to look at something to their side before looking up towards the Academy Districts office building.

"Hey, isn't that book store girl?" Asuna called out. Sure enough they saw Nodoka walking down the high flight of steps that lead to the office while carrying a tall stack of books.

"I don't think she should be carry all the books aru." Ku frowned.

The four were struck frozen in horror when they saw their classmate stumble and then fall off the side. "NODOKA-SAN!"

"GODDAMNIT!"

The girls watched as their teacher lurched forward, planting one of his feet against the steps while his bird fluttered off. It looked like he was about to run. Then he was gone. Before they could even register that, there was a loud crash, a cold fear gripped them when they looked back to their classmate, preparing for the worst.

XxX

The world became a blur, like some idiot had spilled a bucket of water over a fresh painting. His arms trailed behind him, his top bent low to the ground. When he was more than half the distance he snapped his torso back, stuck his arms out and jumped. Nodoka fell into his hold. He slammed his right foot onto the oncoming wall while the left slid on the ground to slow his speed. The brick cracked on impact, the shock rebounding him onto his back.

"Ok ow!"

Nodoka was curled into a tight ball on his chest, chanting _'I'm gonna die, I'm gonna die.'_ Over and over in her head. When the foreboding pain never came she opened her eyes. She was on the ground or on something that was on the ground. The books that she was returning to the library were scattered all around her. Some of them were opened with the pages horribly bent.

_'I'm going to have to pay for damages and repairs.'_

Whatever she was laying on began to move. "Mmrrr."

Hearing the moan she sat up suddenly and looked down. "Se-s-sensei?!"

Negi looked up at her, his long hair fanning his head, a pained smile on his face with his large bright eyes watering. "Are you ok Miyazaki-san?" He squeaked.

Her face was glowing red and hot. "U-um I-I-I"

"Nodoka-san Negi-sensei!" The pair looked to the side to see Asuna, Ayaka, Ku and Konoka running towards them. "Holy crap are you two ok?" Asuna asked. Nodoka nodded while Negi gave a pathetic "Mnh."

Ayaka knelt beside him and gently cradled his head. "Sensei are you ok?"

"Mmrrr! Miyazaki-san, are you ok?"

"Y-yes." He gave a satisfied nod, tears beginning to run down his face. _'Oh no, he hurt himself catching me.'_

"Good, then can you do me a favor?"

She nodded.

"Hmrr, could you please get off of me? Your knee is kind of squeezing my balls into the ground." The pitch of his voice went higher with each word. He could hear Chamo guffawing off to the side.

It took Nodoka a second to register his words and when she did she went red from her head to her neck. Sputtering and stammering she jumped up and gathered her books in a flurry before rushing away. The pressure from his package gone, Negi sighed back into Ayaka's hold. "Why isn't there a railing on those steps?" He asked rhetorically.

Ayaka ran her hand through his hair. "Sorry about Nodoka, Sensei. She's not so good around males."

He gave a grunt in reply as Kalma fluttered onto his chest. _'You alright there speedy?'_

_'Fuck you.'_

Chamo climbed onto Konoka's shoulder. 'He's _fine. He's just being a bitch'_

_'Oh go fuck a gerbil.' _

_'Do you want me to rub your booboo?'_ She cooed.

_'Piss off dammit!'_

_'You could rub mine.'_ Chamo offered.

_'I'd need a magnifying glass to find it first.'_

Ku moved closer to him. "Is you ok Sensei? The stop looked like it hurt aru."

"I'm fine."

"Wow sensei you can really move. The only person I have ever seen move that fast is Asuna-san and only if the words 'late' or Takahata' are involved."

"Konoka!"

"Well it's true." She laughed.

Negi swatted Kalma away, receiving a peck to the ribs, and excepted Ayaka's help to stand up. Ku patted him roughly on the back. "Wow Sensei, you was move so fast you made a crack in wall aru."

_'Is she retarded or something?'_ Chamo snickered.

_'No, she's Chinese.'_

_'Well she needs to work on her Japanese.'_

_'Well unlike you some of us have to actually learn this shit instead of sharing someone elses knowledge.'_

_'Oh 'cause you're one to talk.'_

"Sensei, if you are ok and it's not too much trouble could you help us with some of our school work?" Ayaka gave the others a very poorly hidden look that clearly had some meaning to it.

"Oh yeah" Konoka perked, grabbing onto his free arm. "My math teacher gave us a paper but I don't really get most of it."

_'Oh god, this is the part where the school girls drag the unsuspecting teacher into the forest and drug him.'_ Kalma whispered.

"That's right, I need help with homework to aru."

_'And when he wakes up he'll find himself stripped and bound to a slab of black rock in a small clearing as it floods with mist and smell of incents.'_

Ayaka and Konoka began dragging him back to the school. "Come on sensei, we left our stuff back in class." They weren't even taking him to the correct floor. His class was located on the second floor of the building but the way they were guiding him brought them to the far side of the first floor. On the opposite side from where his class was.

_'Then the girls will come out from behind the trees, as if gliding in with the mist. Almost all of them wearing animal masks and red robes, chanting in a dead tongue.'_

"You girls do know that I am perfectly capable of walking there under my own power right?"

Ayaka held him tighter to her side. Slipping her arm over his chest. "We know sensei, but please, let us guide you."

_'The head priestess, garbed in black will pull out the ancient ritual knife and slowly, ever so slowly, carve intricate symbols into his chest while the new initiates cast aside their pure white robes and mount him. They'll pierce themselves with his tool and sing the song of the Old Ones while their sisters celebrate their shed maidenhood. When the last has gone the black priestess will slit his throat and take her place at grinding against his cold dying co-'_

_'KALMA!'_ Negi shrieked.

_'FOR FUCKS SAKE GIRL COOL IT!'_

_'What, you boys can't handle a little ritual play?'_

Chamo gave her a horror filled look. _'I don't know where you get these sick fantasies from but they can't be good for your sanity.'_

Kalma's face went blank. _'Fantasies?'_

"We're here Sensei. Hey Asuna get the door."

Chamo was half ready to jump from Konoka's shoulder. _'Oh god no I'm to pretty to die like this!'_

"Welcome to Mahora Negi-Sensei!" Small confetti cannons were popped as the smell of fresh food and cheering washed over them. The entire class filled the room. It appeared to be a lounge or small cafeteria of some sorts with rows of table benches lined with foods and drinks. Some of the girls that weren't holding cannons waved signs with his name on them.

Konoka rubbed his head. "Are you surprised? We decided to have a party to welcome you to the school."

"Oh-thank you very much." It had been years since anyone threw him a party for anything.

_'Oh thank fuck.'_ Chamo slipped from Konoka's shoulder in a faint and Negi managed to just catch him before he hit the floor. Kalma laughed.

They walked in and Negi was sat at the center of the middle table, being told that it was a spot reserved for the guest of honor. Food was passed as every on either crammed into the seats around him or moved about the room serving food or simply chatting with their classmates.

Something warm was placed near his cheek and he turned in his chair to see it. "Here sensei, me and Satsuki made you some of our special meat buns." Chao Lingshen smiled and passed him a wooden plate that held a bun that was nearly twice the size of his fist. Not sure how he was supposed to eat it he settled for picking it up with his hand and stuffing his cheeks.

"Mmmh! Holy crap this is good! You said you made this?"

Chao smiled brightly. "That's right! Satsuki-chan and I run our own eatery The Chao Bao Zi. If you like this then you should come by and eat there, there's a special discount for first time teachers."

"Maybe I will." Still smiling Chao sat down next to him close enough that she was brushing against his arm. When he gave her a look she merely smiled wider and started on her own food.

Yue came to him next and passed him a mug of a dark hot liquid that smelled of spices and melted sugar. "Here Sensei try this." She said in her usual board tone."

"Thank you Ayase-san. What is it?"

"Hot salty watermelon and herb soda."

"What the heck Yue, you can't go spreading your weird soda fetish to the staff!" Haruna laughed as she threw her arm around the girl and pulled her into a hug.

"I don't see why not, it's not like it's a bad thing."

"It's not bad but he'll think your weird."

Negi ignored them and tipped the mug to his mouth, not in the least bit bothered by how hot it was. Most of the activity around him stopped while the class waited for his reaction. He let it swirl around his tongue for a moment before swallowing. His face scrunched for a moment while he smacked his lips, looking at the drink and smelling it before once again bringing the mug to his mouth and downing the rest much to the classes amazement.

He passed the mug back to her. "It's not bad but let it simmer next time instead of blasting it with heat, you killed off most of the flavor."

She didn't react much aside from a brief pause and a nod of her head.

"Wait Sensei you actually liked it!" Misa kakizaki yelled.

"I've eaten everything from five star meals to raw meat and tree bark. I am not a picky eater."

"Why the hell did you have to eat raw meat and tree bark?" Chisame Hasegawa asked.

He turned and gave her a look so blank and unamusing that for a moment the class believed he could have been Yue's twin. "Bad camping trip."

After a few minutes of trying various foods and chatting with his student someone tapped his shoulder. "Umm Ne-Negi-sensei?"

"Oh Miyazaki-san there you are. Are you all right?"

Nodoka shifted on her feet and fiddled with something in her hands. Her face was red to the point that Negi was concerned about her bodies blood flow. "Um, yes, well, I wanted to thank you for what happened earlier. You saved my life so, um, here." She presented her hands and he took the slips of paper that were nearly crumpled between them. "They're vouchers for the school Book store. Please except them as a token of my thanks"

He looked down at the vouchers, five in all and saw that each would cover up to three books. "Wow thank you Miyazaki-san I'll be sure to use them on my first day off."

Someone from another table snickered. "Wow, Honya-chan(Bookstore) is already making her move on the teacher!" Most of the students laughed

She squeaked and spun to face them. "N-no that isn't true and my name isn't Honya!"

"Oh Sensei I too have a gift for you. A souvenir to welcome you to Japan." Ayaka stood up from her seat between Asuna and Misora before walking over to one of the countertops that lined the walls. There was something bulky on one that was covered with a large sheet of white silk. Negi made his way over to her, leaving Chamo and Kalma to finish what was left of his food while Sayo floated around the room happily.

After making sure he was watching Ayaka pulled off the cloth with an extravagant flair. "Behold!" The cloth fell away to reveal a bronze bust in his exact likeness, from the length and shape of his hair to each of his individual scars. It sat atop a chunk of natural rock that had his name chiseled into it with what he assumed was her own writing.

A spark shot through his mind alerting his that Chamo was choking on a half swallowed rice ball. _'Ack holy crap how did she find the time to make that!?'_

Asuna jumped from her seat. "Ayaka are you stupid or something who gets someone a bronze statue as a gift?"

"W-what? I don't want to hear anything from you Asuna!" Somehow, to Negi's amazement, that led to the two girls fighting with the rest of the students placing bets on the winner. Though he was assured Konoka that this sort of thing was normal for the two.

Shrugging it off he was ready to return to his seat when a voice stopped him. "My my those two are still so energetic. I don't think they'll ever change."

His back stiffened, his fingers clenching so tight the joints popped. Slowly he twisted his body, his legs to stiff to follow. "Takamichi."

The man had the good graces to take a step back which helped to calm Negi somewhat. He was calmed further when a smiling Shizuna stepped between them. "Sorry we're late Negi-san we had a meeting with the Dean. Is everything going well?"

Negi still kept his eyes locked with Takamichi. "Yes I just walked around the campus for a bit before the girls brought me here." A brief cold washed over his mind and the pressure in his hands lessened, his body relaxed as his rage left him. Takamichi flinched and looked away, guilty. '_As he damn well should be the fu-_'. With a weak moan his clutched the side of his head. The cold began soaking into his mind, his thoughts. Robbing him of what he was. '_Dammit not again._'

"Are you alright?" Shizuna took a step towards him but he moved around her to his seat. "I-Im fine, just a headache. Didn't get enough sleep." He supported himself on the tables edge, his arms beginning to shake. His breath was starting to come in short gasps and he prayed that no one noticed. _'Kalma.'_ His voice was strained. She was on his shoulder in an instant. Pressing her head into his and feeding him what she had to offer. The cold wash eased away, his mind returning. Sayo stopped mid flight. She could see a strange light pass between the two as a dark light emerged from Kalma and soaked into Negi's body.

A hand landed on his shoulder. "Negi. Konoemon and I...we..if you would just allow us to.."

"Don't!" Negi cut him off with a harsh almost snarling whisper. "Just don't. The two of you have done enough already."

He looked like he wanted to say more, almost desperately so. His mouth moving like a fishes. But in the end he merely gave Negi's shoulder a squeeze before walking away only stopping to give Shizuna a meaningful glance and having a quick conversation with a gushing Asuna before finally walking out the door.

"Negi-Sensei are you okay?" Chizuru asked, walking around and holding his free arm to support him.

"Yeah I'm just a bit jetlagged. Thanks." But his arms were still shaking and he realized why. _'Fuck, they're starting to where off.'_

Chizuru brushed her hand over his forehead. "You need to take more care of yourself Sensei, you're starting to burn up. Do you need to go to the nurse?" Some of the other students were starting to gather around them. Each trying to see what was wrong with him.

"Negi-san are your living arrangements setup?" Shizuna asked.

"The Dean made an offer before I started my trip but I told him to shove.." He saw Konoka gazing at him in concern. ''told him I would take care of myself."

"Do you have an idea of what you are going to do?"

"Not yet." He was starting to sweat despite how cold he was suddenly feeling. "Hey look. I'm sorry to eat and run, especially after all the work you girls clearly put into getting this set up, but I really need to get some sleep right now."

"That's okay Sensei we can take care of the clean up you just go and get some rest." Ayaka said sweetly, rubbing a warm hand over his cheek. He had to bite his cheek to stopped himself from leaning into her touch.

He gave them a smile. "Well I would hate to let all this food go to waste so I'll tell you what. If you girls pack up the leftovers and bring them into class tomorrow I'll turn our next class into a little 'Beginning of The Third Term' party. How does that sound?"

The class broke into cheers promising to do just that. Satsuki even agreed to bring a portable oven to reheat the food much to their joy. After thanking them all again for the party and assuring Shizuna that he didn't need an escort, Negi quickly left the room and rushed down the hall the second he was well away. The sun was already starting to go down turning the schools hallways into a mixture of their tan walls and a deep orange from the dying light. After a while the shaking spread to his legs and he almost tripped over himself half a dozen times before a finally managed to drag himself back into class 2/A. Not even bothering to unpack his bag Negi shuffled behind his desk and dropped his bag before kicking it open and desperately grabbing a small metal container that fell from one of the larger pockets. It was a light grey steel box with tiny runes and symbols etched into the edges, it fit almost perfectly into his palm. His fingers were sweaty and shaking so bad. His thumb slipped over the latch several times before he grew frustrated and used his teeth instead. A light flashed as soon as it open and he reached into it, pulling out a dark brown unlabeled bottle that was almost the full size in the container.

His breathing was becoming heavier and he almost broke the zipper on his jacket in his effort to get it open. His limbs were no longer doing as he told them to and he dropped the bottle when he tried to rip the cap off. A burning sensation began to build in his chest. Why, why did he wait so long to take his dose? _'Fucking Headmaster! Dogging me the whole fucking week before the trip. Should have taken this while I was on the damn plane.'_ His voice had an almost hysteric laugh leaking into it. Sweat was starting to soak his clothes. Chamo crawled out of his jackets pocket and picked up the bottle, popping the top off before Kalma swooped over him and snatched it with her talons. She dropped it into Negi's waiting hand and he didn't waist a second when he shoved it to his mouth and downed its contents. Laying back onto the floor using his bag as a pillow he waited while the liquid did its work and sighed when he started to lose most of the feelings in his head and chest.

He covered his eyes with his arm. "I swear I'll kill them for this."

Chamo curled up in the crook of his neck. "Don't worry bro, we'll get you better. Just you wait.

Kalma roosted on his chest using the open jacket as a blanket. "In time." She said. "First we need to remove the seal on you. Now that we're here we can keep tabs on them instead of constantly looking over our shoulders." She shifted slightly and felt how wet his chest was. Looking down she saw the growing dark stain on his shirt. Negi let out a ragged breath before closing his eyes. Kalma started whistling a soft, almost mournful tune and he was out in a moment.

Sayo, who had followed them, sat on his desk to look down at them, unsure what to do. "Is he ok?" She whispered.

"He'll be fine Sayo he just needs his rest."

"But what's wrong with him?"

Kalma continued looking at the still growing stain. "I'll tell you about it later but suffice it to say that the Dean and Takamichi tried to fix something that wasn't as broken as they thought and ended up fucking it up more without realizing it." She closed her eyes and her body hummed. Sayo watched transfixed as Kalma's body began glowing with the same dark light from before. But this time it radiated off her body, like fire from a burning log. The room filled with a low humming noise and Negi's body began to glow. It lasted of a minute. By its end Negi's breathing had returned to normal and the stain stopped growing.

Her eyes still closed Kalma opened her mouth and inhaled. The stain gathered into a bulge and the liquid began to float away from it. A thick pool of blood snaked its way from his chest and flowed into her mouth. She swallowed it all down. Her eyes opened and Sayo could see how they glowed with a deep purple light.

* * *

Had to go back and change the parts about the story taking place in the "beginning of a school year" to "third term". will explain on next upload but in short, errors were made.


End file.
